Liquid flow cutoff and timer



March 2, 1954 H. A. ERIKSON LIQUID FLOW CUTOFF AND TIMER Filed March 8, 1950 FILE 1 Patented Mar. 2, 1954 UNITED STATES 'ATENT OFFICE LIQUID FLOW CUTOFF AND TIMER Henry A. Erikson, Coral Gables, Fla.

Application March 8, 1950, Serial No. 148,307

This invention relates generally to devices for terminating the flow of liquid passing through a liquid supply line and particularly concerns such devices which operate automatically after a predetermined amount of the liquid has passed through the line.

My invention is similar in nature to that disclosed in my abandoned application for patent Serial No. 118,379, filed September 28th, 1949. However, the presently considered device does away with the chamber float described in that application and accomplishes the flow cutoff functions through pressure of the liquid itself.

A liquid fiow cut-ofi and timer is useful in con nection with a fluid conductor wherever it is desirable to cut-off the flow after a predetermined time period has lapsed. An example would be its use in connection with a lawn sprinkling system to conveniently and economically limit the watering of a particular area to a desired period of time;

It is accordingly the primary object of my invention to provide a liquid flow cut-ofi mechanism which is actuated by pressure of a portion of liquid itself.

Another object of my invention is to provide a mechanism adapted to terminate the flow of liquid through a conductor after a predetermined period of time, and having means allowing the length of said time period to be selectively varied.

With these and other objects in view, the invention broadly embodies a liquid pressure chamber adapted for connection at a point along a fluid supply line, means for allowing a small portion of the liquid to enter the chamber whereby fluid pressure is built up in the chamber, and means whereby said chamber pressure is made operative to move a valve member into the main path of liquid flow to cut off the flow through the supply line.

The above mentioned and still other more particular objectives will be disclosed in the course Claims. (Cl. 137-4375) of the following specification, reference being ing and by'reference characters the liquid pressure chamber, shown generally at l, is formed of an upright tubular member 5 having top and bottom caps 6 and 1 respectively threaded over the ends thereof to form a cylindrical receptacle. The bottom cap I is rigidly mounted on a base or standard 8 to support the receptacle in a vertically extending position. Chamber 4 is associated with the fluid supply line through a connecting structure formed by the various fittings 9-!2 inclusive. ternally threaded neck member which is threaded through a central opening in the cap 6 to extend upwardly therefrom. A cross fitting I0 is threaded over the upper end of the neck member 9 with the lateral arms thereof retaining the short nipple pieces I I and I2 which extend horizontally for connection at their outer ends with terminal con-- plings (not shown) on the separated'sections of a fluid supply line. It will be observed that the fitting I0 also serves as a housing for the flow cut-off valve to be subsequently described.

Theupper coupling arm of the member II] isfitted with a head plug I3. This plug and the member 9 have diametrically small central passages I4 and I5 respectively which extend in vertical alignment with each other. The inner opposing faces of the two members are similarly I provide a liquid flow cut off mechanism to operate principally within the member ID. This mechanism comprises a valve actuatingv member, shown generally at 2| and 'a ball valve 26. The construction of the valve actuating member can perhaps be best understood by referring to Fig.

2. A substantially oval shaped stirrup 22 is formed of a relatively narrow strip of rnaterial with a somewhat wider portion 23 at the bottom thereof, and with thin elongated stems 24 and 25 extending vertically from the top and under sides thereof. It will be observed that when the mechanism is placed within the member I0 the stems 24 and 25 extend through the passages I4 and I5 respectively. The stems are only slightly smaller diametrically than the passages in which they move restricting the same so as to allow only a very small amount of liquid to pass through the The numeral 9 denotes an ex- 1 passages. A ball valve 26 fits loosely within the stirrup 22 to rest upon the portion 23. When the mechanism is set in position the stirrup sets in the seat formed by the recess 16 in the upper end of the neck member 9 with the ball valve 26 retained in the stirrup by the annular top face of the member. It will be readily realized that if the member 2| is moved upwardly it will carry the ball 26 with it, and that with the passages 14 and 15 serving as guideways for the-stems 25 and 24 such movement is restricted to a set vertical path. An annular valve seat 2! is formed at the inner end of the outlet nipple I and is adapted to receive the ball valve 26 and provide a fiuid'tight seal therewith.

Referring now back to the chamber 4, it may be observed that I provide the side wall of the chamber with a top pressure relief outlet 28 and a plurality of vertically spaced lower drain ports 29. These ports are disposed similarly to those disclosed in my aforementioned application. However, I have here provided the outlet 23 with a two-way-valve 36] and the lower ports 29 with pet. cocks 3! to facilitate opening and closing the same. The valve 30 is operated by a handle 32 and has a connection as at 33 with the drain tube I9. The valve has inner ports 34 and 35 which can be selectively moved, through manipulation of the handle 32 to expose the interior of either the chamber 4 or the chamber i8 to the outside atmosphere. Thus when the handle 32 is in an outwardly extending position fluid in chamber member l8 and tube l9 may'drain freely out through the valve port while the port 25 is sealed. If, on the other hand, the handle is turned to extend downwardly the chamber 4 is opened to the atmosphere through the valve ports 34 and 35.

I provide an air outlet' valve in the top cap 6 of the pressure chamber. This valve comprises a tubular vent 36 extending through the top wall with a needlelike valve member 31 disposed loosely in the vent and having an enlarged buoyant head 38 adapted to seal the vent when moved against the inner end thereof. Near the top of the chamber 4, I also provide a port 38. having' a bypass valve 40 which connects with the interior-chamber 4| of the member H3 through tube- 42. The valve handle 43 is operative to open and close communication between the two chambers and is shown in Fig. 1 in closed position.

Turning now to the operation of my invention it'wi'll be observed that as liquid under pressure is admitted to the device through the supply'line connected conduit or nipple 12, it will pass through the valve chamber 4| and out through the nipple l l to the sprinkler system orv the like attached thereto. Small portions of the liquid however; will pass upwardly through the passage [4- and downwardly through the passage E5. The liquid which is forced upwardly into the chamber I8 is free to drain out through the tube l9 and valve 30. However, the liquid portion which is forced downwardly through the passage I is caught in the chamber 4. As the level of the liquid rises within the chamber the air displaced escapes through the vent 36 at the top thereof until the liquid engages the head 38 and floats it against the vent. The chamber is then completely sealed with the exception of the restricted and with the chamber l8, wherein projects the upper end of stem 25, being open to the atmosphere the actuating member 2|, carrying the valve ball 26, is caused to move upwardly by fluid pressure on the lower end of stem 24 until the stem contacts the top wall of the member l8. As the ball is moved into the main liquid flow it is caught by the flow and moved against the valve seat 2! cutting off the supply of liquidto the nipple H and points beyond. The valve mechanism is then disposed as shown in broken lines in Fig. 1.

The member 2! may then be lowered by moving the handle 32 of the valve to a downwardly extending position whereupon chamber 4 is opened to the atmosphere and the chamber [8 is closed. This causes the liquid pressure in chamber 18 to rapidly equalize with that in the valve chamber and move the member 2! back down to rxthat it can be lowered without moving the" ball passage l5 and when the chamber is full with the increased liquid pressure in the chamber 4,

wherein -'proiects-'the lower end of-the stem 24,

I 4;! diminishes.

its seated position. This downward movement of the member 21 by pressure is frequently desirable because one of the stems 24 or 25'might stick in its respective passage dueto friction, dirt or the like. It will be observed that the stirrup 22 is so formed valve 26 from its cutolT position.

By cutting on the main supply of'fiuid to the device the ball 25 will then gravitationally-'reseat itself in the stirrup 22 as the pressure in chamber Due to the restricted-clearance through the opening [5 the pressure reduction is very slow. dropping of the ball 26, I provide the bypass valve which is opened by moving handle 43 to a downwardly extending position to openthe chamber ii to the atmosphere through the-valves 43 and 39. The pressure in 4! is accordingly relieved quite abruptly and the valve Opens without delay. By readjusting the valves 30 and 40 to their original positions and draining the cham ber i through one of the petcocks 3! the device is then ready for another fluid cycle. The period of time to elapse before the valve mechanism'is actuated to cut off the flow is, of course, vdependent upon the liquid level in the chamber at the time the flow through the device is: commenced. The liquid level is in turn governed by the petcock 3! used to drain the chamber of'its preceding fill. As taught in my aforementioned application for patent, any number of the ports 29 may be usedin vertically spaced relation in order to allow selective regulation of the. cut-01f operation after the lapseof any one of ainumber of varying periods of time. The chamber 4 may be initially filled to any desired level by opening both the petcock. adjacent that. level and the valve 43 after the main fluid supplylhas been turnedon.

Itis found that the air vent at 35 maybe omitted entirely from the device as illustrated in Fig.

4 without rendering it inoperable. However, by expelling the air from the chamber to make valve actuation dependent solely upon liquid pressure the valve is raised to its cut-off position more abruptly.

Referring now toFig. 3, a slight modification of my invention is shown wherein I use a gate or flap valve in place of the ball valve of the. preferred construction. There the gate 44 is hinged alon its bottom edge as at 35 to the inner end face of the conduit ii for openin and closing movements thereover. The stirrup 22, shown. in vertical section, has an upwardly projecting member 45, mounted rigidly between .the sides thereof to support the gate 44 in a substantially To hasten this reduction and the I horizontal open position. It will be readily recognized that as the member 2| is forced upwardly by the same liquid pressure action as described in connection with the preferred embodiment, the gate 44 will be swung upwardly about its hinge 45 until it is caught in the main liquid flow and moved against the end of the outlet nip- Dle l l.

I have thus provided a new and improved mechanism for economically and efiiciently carryin out the aforementioned objectives. It is understood that suitable modifications may be made in the structure as disclosed, provided such modifications come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Having now therefore fully illustrated and described my invention, what I claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for terminating the flow of liquid through a liquid supply line which comprises a valve chamber adapted for connection at an intermediate point on the supply line carrying liquid under pressure so that the liquid will pass therethrough, a liquid pressure chamber connected to the valve chamber and having a restricted passage therebetween for transmitting a small portion of the liquid to the pressure chamber, a wall of said valve chamber having an opening to the atmosphere, a valve mechanism disposed within th valve chamber and having an actuating portion extending through said passage and into the pressure chamber, a portion of said mechanism extending outwardly through said opening to the atmosphere, said opening being greatly restricted whereby as the pressure chamber is filled the liquid pressure therein will equalize with the pressure in the valve chamber to move the valve mechanism outwardly of said pressure chamber and toward said openin and said mechanism having means for cutting off the liquid flow as it is so moved.

2. In a liquid flow cut-ofi device for automatically terminating the flow of liquid passing under pressure therethrough, a pair of liquid pressure chambers, a valve housing disposed intermediate the pressure chambers and connected therewith, said valve housing having both a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet passage, means allowing a small portion of the liquid introduced through said inlet passage under pressure to enter each of the pressure chambers whereby as said chambers become filled the liquid therein will beheld under pressure, mean for selectively opening each of said chambers to the atmosphere to relieve said pressure, and a liquid cut-01f mechanism disposed within said valve housing and adapted to open and close said outlet passage, said valve mechanism comprising a valve member and a valve actuatin member for carrying the valve member and slideably projecting into each pressure chamber to slide between valve opening and valve closing positions, said actuating member being responsive to the pressure in the filled chamber to slide toward the open pressure chamber.

3. In a liquid flow cut-off device for automatically terminating the flow of liquid passing under pressure therethrough, a pair of liquid pressure chambers, a valve housing disposed intermediate the pressure chambers and connected therewith, said valve housing having both a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet passage, means allowing a small portion of the liquid introduced through said inlet passage under pressure to enter each of the pressure chambers whereby as said chambers become filled the liquid therein will be held under pressure, means for selectively opening each of said chambers to the atmosphere to relieve said pressure, and a liquid cutoff mechanism disposed within said valve housing and adapted to open and close said outlet passage, said valve mechanism comprising a valve member and a valve actuating member for carrying the valve member and slidably projecting into each pressure chamber to slide between .valve opening and valve closing positions, said actuating member being responsive to the pressure in the filled chamber to slide toward the open pressure chamber, and said means for selectively opening each of said chambers comprising a single control valve associated with both pressure chambers for selectively opening either chamber to the atmosphere.

4. A device for cutting ofi the flow of liquid in a liquid supply line carrying liquid under pressure after a predetermined amount has been supplied which comprises a liquid measuring chamber, means for connecting the chamber to the supply line so as to allow a constant portion of the liquid to enter the chamber, said chamber having an air vent at the top thereof for allowing escape of the air displaced by the liquid entering the chamber, means responsive to the liquid level for closing said vent as the chamber is filled with the liquid so as to hold said chamber liquid under pressure, a valve means associated with the chamber and responsive to pressure in the chamber to cut off the liquid flow in the supply line, and means for draining the liquid in said chamber to any selected level.

5. A device for automatically terminating the liquid flowing under pressure from a supply source after a predetermined amount has flowed which comprises a valve chamber having an inlet passage for connection to the supply source and an outlet passage, 2. liquid receptacle connected to the valve chamber and having a restricted passage therebetween allowing a small portion of the fluid entering the valve chamber to pass into the receptacle, said receptacle being otherwise sealed from the atmosphere whereby when the receptacle has filled the liquid pressure therein will rise to equal the pressure in the valve chamber, a valve mechanism disposed within the valve chamber and responsive to said equalization in pressure to close said outlet passage, and said receptacle having a plurality of vertically spaced drain cocks in a side wall thereof for draining the liquid in the receptacle to any selected one of a plurality of levels.

HENRY A. ERIKSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 111,518 Dalziel Feb. 7, 1871 266,484 Lanston Oct. 24, 1882 1,005,703 Goeddel Oct. 10, 1911 1,029,981 Fahrman June 18, 1912 1,172,421 Beck Feb. 22, 1916 1,339,383 Beese May 11, 1920 2,423,920 Yanchenko July 15, 1947 

